Biting is a typical behavior often seen in infants, toddlers, and 2-year olds. While biting is typical, it is also potentially very harmful. For this reason, we discourage this behavior when we first see it. But, why do children bite?

Reasons a Child May Bite Another Child

Developmental psychologists indicate there are several reasons why a child may have the behavior of biting. Some reasons that NAEYC lists as reasons children may bite:  

• Relieve pain from teething
• Explore cause and effect (“What happens when I bite?”)
• Experience the sensation of biting
• Satisfy a need for oral-motor stimulation
• Imitate other children and adults
• Feel strong and in control
• Get attention
• Act in self-defense
• Communicate needs and desires, such as hunger or fatigue
• Communicate or express difficult feelings, such as frustration, anger, confusion, or fear (“There are too many people here and I feel cramped”).
  (NAEYC, n.d.) Understanding the ABCs of all Behavior

Understanding the ABCs of All Behavior

When we understand the ABCs of behavior, we can begin to understand the reason behind a child’s biting behavior. ABCs in the understanding of behavior include antecedents, that is, what happened before the behavior, the behavior, how the child behaves, and the consequence of the behavior. 

Analysts view the immediate environment as the major cause of behavior. For this reason, we need to understand the what, where, and when of the environment prior to the unwanted behavior. 

When we review behaviors, we need to understand the function of the unwelcome behavior. Psychologists indicate there are four general functions of all human behavior. They include escaping or avoiding something, getting access to something, feeling good, or receiving attention.

Thinking about biting, we can then understand that one of these four functions is why a child is biting. But what happens next will either end the biting or reinforce it to continue. 

A consequence is something that happens after a behavior. When an unwelcomed behavior receives a consequence that shapes the behavior it can either stop or continue. The recommendation for biting is never a negative consequence.

Research continues to support the understanding that time-out or negative consequences do little to end the behavior of biting. Instead, using an alternative behavior as what to do, allows the children to connect the desired behavior and the positive consequence together.

An example would be, if a child bites, the teacher tells the child “No, biting, use your words.” Then, when the child uses their words, we praise them for the desired behavior. The praise then becomes the consequence of the desired behavior. 

Different Types of Biters

Developmental Psychologists have indicated there are five different types of biters.

1. The Experimenting Biter is exploring their world. This type is usually seen in infants and small toddlers as they put everything in their mouths..

2. The Teething Biter expresses discomfort from their growing teeth through chewing. During this stage, infants and toddlers need to relieve their pain.

3. The Frustrated Biter usually has limited communication skills. They are building their emotional coping skills and need assistance in understanding social boundaries and expressing their needs.

4. The Threatened Biter usually bites as a means of self-defense. They usually feel endangered or have overwhelming fear.

5. The Attention-Seeking Biter typically bites because they are reinforced for their behavior. For example, if a child is yelled at, laughed at, or receives attention (either positive or negative) because they bite, the behavior is usually reinforced, and it will continue.

So how do we help children as they learn and grow to overcome this unwelcome behavior?

Using the Positive Approach

Using a positive approach to biting can build the social, emotional, cognitive, and developmental skills young children need to overcome the unwelcome behavior of biting. Find this resource and many more at the Experience Training Institute.

Ready to learn more ways to help young children build positive developmental skills? Enroll in the training: Why Children Bite

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REFERENCES

NAEYC. (n.d.). Understanding and responding to children who bite. https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/understanding-and-responding-children-who-bite